Roe v. Wade Bill is blocked by Senate GOP, Manchin

Photo Credit: Gage Skidmore

On Monday, Sen. Joe Manchin of West Virginia joined Senate Republicans in opposing a bill passed by the House to codify Roe v. Wade.

As a result of a 46-48 vote, the "Women's Health Protection Act" (WHPA) failed to meet the 60-vote threshold necessary to end debate and send it to a simple majority floor vote.

A person would have been protected under the WHPA from being forced into continuing or ending a pregnancy, and a health care provider would have been protected from having to perform abortions.

Democrats are scrambling to defend abortion, which they see as a fundamental right, following the ruling that the law cannot be struck down by the Supreme Court.

Pelosi announced after the court ruled the law would not be struck down that Democrats would push to codify Roe v. Wade by updating the WHPA to make it impossible for states to ban abortion.

House Democrats approved the WHPA in a vote of 218-211 in September. All Democrats except one voted for it, while Republicans unanimously opposed it.

“Congress must codify into law what most Americans have long believed, that abortion is a fundamental right and that women’s decisions over women’s health care belong to women, not—NOT—to extremist right-wing legislatures,” Schumer added.

1st March 2022